Finance should be allotted to affected areas. Thurairatnam appeal

Batticaloa district-EAST

Monday , 31 December 2012

Action should be taken to find a settlement to the affected peoples living conditions due to severe floods in the Batticaloa district. Such request was made by eastern provincial council member R.Thurairatnam to Disaster Management Minister.

An appeal was forwarded to the Disaster Management Minister regarding this mentioned a variety of crisis.

The appeal further quoted, many have got affected due to the continuous torrential rainfalls and floods in the Batticaloa. More than 63 thousand families have got affected and 800 and more have been displaced. 20 thousand acres of paddy fields have got affected owing to flood waters.

Some areas minor cyclones were prevailing with rain, hence Kaluwanchikudy, Onthachchimadam, Kurumanveli, Magiloor,Nawatkuda and Kepppaveli villages, houses were partially and totally had got damaged.

Due to floods, tanks were opened and bridges were submerged in water.

Flood water had intruded to some homes, and rice bags, seeds including variety of grains which were stored has got destroyed.

Cultivation at elevated area were totally affected. Some areas house hold items have washed away in floods.

Matale district-SOUTH

Sri Lankan President promises alternate lands for residents in disaster prone areas
Sun, Dec 30, 2012, 11:06 am SL Time, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.

Dec 30, Colombo: Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa has assured to provide alternate land to the people living in landslides-prone areas and asked them to evacuate if there is a disaster threat.
During a visit to the Rattota electorate in Matale district, the President told the residents that the government would acquire the disaster-prone lands and provide them suitable alternate lands.

In some places, fishing equipment’s has got completely damaged. Due to continuous torrential rainfalls and sea turbulence, fishermen were not able to go to mid sea.

Laborers’ are not in a position to do their daily jobs hence daily income has got obstructed. Transport roads are damaged; hence transport service has got affected.

Due to this atmosphere, poverty has escalated in Batticaloa. Hence finance should be allocated to the affected areas.

Copies of the appeal had been forwarded to eastern provincial Chief Minister and Batticaloa District Government Agent

. He was visiting the area on Saturday (29) to inspect the damage caused by floods and landslides and to inquire the well-being of the affected families who have been sheltered in 14 welfare camps.

The President told the people that the government was prepared to provide alternate lands for those identified as disaster-threatened areas and arrangements have been made to compensate the affected families.

Pointing out that despite warning people continue to live in disaster-prone areas, the President emphasized that residents need to take the expert warnings seriously and evacuate to safety before disaster strikes.

The President instructed the authorities to carry out necessary tests in the areas prone to earth slips before granting permission to construct buildings in those areas.

President Rajapaksa also handed over financial assistance to those residents whose houses were damaged by the disaster in the Rattota electorate.

Each of the 94 families with a partially damaged house received 50,000 rupees while 25 families whose houses damaged received 100,000 rupees each.

Measures were also in place to distribute dry rations, garments and other utensils to the affected persons.

The President also opened the weather-damaged Andavala Bridge that was rebuilt at a cost of 2.5 million rupees with the personal funds of Parliamentarian Lakshman Wasantha Perera.

He inspected the progress of the repair work on the Rathgammana Bridge across the Amban River connecting the Matale and Laggala electorates. The heavy rains have washed away the banks of the bridge and the Army with the help of the residents is carrying out the reconstructions.

Disaster Management Minister Mahinda Amaraweera, deputy ministers Nandimithra Ekanayake and Rohana Dissanayake, MPS, Lakshman Perera and Lohan Ratwatte, Central Province Governor Tikiri Kobbekaduwa and Secretary to the Ministry of Ports and Highways R. W. R. Pemasiri participate in the events.

(Photos by Nalin Hewapathirana)

History Of Hambantota, Mothers Who Were Worried About Their Sons And Now

By Charitha Ratwatte -January 1, 2013 

Charitha Ratwatte

On this, the first day of the first month of 2013, readers, in these times of doom and gloom, would without doubt appreciate a success story about a group of determined women from a district far away from the capital city, supported by a group of sensitive bureaucrats, who have successfully built themselves and their institution into a world class micro finance institution.

Hambantota District’s history

Time was when the Hambantota District was a quiet backwater in Sri Lanka’s Deep South. In ancient times, when the Kingdom of Ruhuna was in existence, it was a highly-developed area. Extensive cultivation of rice and other crops supported by an intricate water management system was the base of a highly developed Buddhist culture and civilisation.

The high standards of the hydraulic civilisation which existed in the Raja Rata at those times would have undoubtedly spread to southern Sri Lanka. The name Wel-Laksha (Wellassa), land of one hundred thousand paddy fields, gives a clue to this economic powerhouse.

The area was also a focus for the extraction and distribution of salt to the rest of the country. The dry climate was ideal for collecting sea water in vast areas of low lying land on the coast, and letting the water evaporate under the heat of the glaring sun. The salt distribution was the monopoly of Muslim traders who took salt by pack bull to the interior hills and bartered it for spices which they brought back to Magampura and exported. Research has shown that the development of Muslim communities in the interior of the island have been on this salt route inland, roughly a day’s march apart.

Similarly, before the advent of the Europeans, the Muslims held the monopoly of the internal trade in salt and the external trade in spices. It was a fleet which set out from the Portuguese enclave of Goa on India’s west coast – to hunt down some Muslim pirates who basing themselves in the Maldives harassed Portuguese vessels competing with the Muslim traders for the spice trade – that was caught up in a South West monsoon storm, damaged its masts and had to limp into Galle harbour to effect repairs, that brought the first Portuguese to this island.

Ancient Magampura (today’s Hambantota) was a harbour on the southern sea route from the west to the east – what has today been branded as the Spice Route. Indeed some historians argue that the name Hambantota is derived from ‘Sampan Thota’ – the harbour used by Chinese sea going Sampans which traversed the southern seas in the 1400s well before the European colonisers arrived.
A stone plaque at Galle records that Admiral Cheng Ho visited the Galle Port with his fleet at that time and kidnapped the local ruler and took him and his family back to China. Some time ago the descendants of that family visited Sri Lanka as guests of the Government.

International flavour of Southern Sri Lanka                           Read More

Release Jaffna university students without conditions. Resolution passed at Karaitheevu divisional council.

Monday , 31 December 2012

Government should take action to release the detained four Jaffna university students without conditions and curtail the continuous arrest executing in Jaffna.

A motion appealing the government was implemented unanimously at the Karaitheevu divisional council located in the Amparai District.

Karaitheevu Divisional council monthly meeting was held at the council hall headed by Sellaiah Rasaiya.

A motion regarding this resolution was proposed by Sellaiah Rasiaya at the meeting and it was implemented unanimously.

Chairman Rasaiya further said, the incident occurred at Jaffna university recently is much mournful. Amidst military suppressions, the difficulties faced by the northern people are an act to diminish the reconciliation activities in the country.

Jaffna University students according to their democratic rights carried out the activities, was intruded illegally by the military and brutally assaulted incident are to be strongly condemned.

At the same time the four students arrested are still detained. Their release is a question mark. In the blanket of rehabilitation, detaining the students is against the law which is regrettable.

Hence the detained students without any conditions should be released for which we urge the government.

Meanwhile military persecution in the north and arrest should be impeded and there should be an end to the panic situation which is faced by the people for which government should take necessary action.

Government which claims that peace and civil administration is prevailing, but the minority community under the government rule, is experiencing all the difficulties.

There should be redress to all these, and the government should reveal reconciliation activities to the minority people. 

More int’l training for Army

TUESDAY, 01 JANUARY 2013 

Sri Lanka Army is to enhance training opportunities at local and international levels during this year, Army Commander Jagath Jayasuriya said.

Issuing a New Year message, the Army Chief said, “one of our prioritized objectives during this year is the enhancement of training opportunities at local and international levels. This includes proficiency training at private level, battalion training, joint military exercises, international training rounds, language training sessions, etc.”

Youth brutally assaulted at Paranthan junction by police. Failure to halt when stopped.

Tuesday , 01 January 2013

Two policemen who were on traffic duty at Kilinochchi Paranthan junction had fiercely assaulted two youths yesterday evening.

 

 Two youths from Vattakachchi, namely Vijayakumar Wimalarooban aged 26 and Anantha Moorthy Logeswaran aged 24, suffered from internal injuries due to this attack and was treated at Kilinochchi General Hospital and later was taken to the police station.

 

Regarding this incident it was further said, yesterday at 4.45 p.m the two youths were returning home in motorcycles after work.

 

Traffic police who were on duty at Paranthan junction had stopped the bikes. The motorcycles did not stop at the place it was given the signal, but at some distance away and the two youths have approached the police on foot.

 

When they reached the policemen, the police on duty, without saying anything had brutally assaulted, and more police were called and there were more assaults against the youth, was stated by the people assembled at the place where the incident occurred.

 

More than hundreds congregated at the place the incident took place hence tension prevailed in the locality.

 

 Kilinochchi Police Officer in charge personally visited the incident and conducted inquiry and had asked pardon for the mistake carried out by the police.

 

Parliament Member Sritharan too had visited the locality where the incident occurred.

 

Concerning this, he gave information to the “Udayan” news media. He said, “the youths in an uncivilized was assaulted by the police in public”. Regarding this  I brought to the attention of Kilinochchi Police in Charge. He personally asked pardon from me. He accepted that Police had acted in a flawed manner. 

UN independent expert concerned over reports of intimidation of judges in Sri Lanka

31 December 2012 – Intimidation and attacks against judges and judicial officers in Sri Lanka are increasing in what may constitute a threat to the independence of the justice system in the Asian country, a United Nations independent expert warned today.

“The recent steps taken by the executive and legislative towards impeaching the Chief Justice appear to be the culminating point of a series of attacks against the judiciary for asserting its independence,” the UN Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, Gabriela Knaul, stated in a news release.

According to reports received by Ms. Knaul, attacks and threats against members of the judiciary and lawyers in Sri Lanka, as well as interference in their work, have “dramatically increased” in recent months, with the procedure of impeachment of the Chief Justice of the country’s Supreme Court, Dr. Bandaranayake, launched before the Parliament on 1 November, being a particularly evident example. On 8 December, the inquiry investigating Dr. Bandaranayake found her guilty of three out of the five charges which it had pursued.

“It is of high concern to me that the procedure for the removal of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court is extremely politicized and characterized by lack of transparency, lack of clarity in the proceedings, as well as lack of respect for the fundamental guarantees of due process and fair trial,” Ms. Knaul said.

“I urge again the authorities of Sri Lanka to reconsider the impeachment of the Chief Justice due to the lack of due process and fair trial guarantees and to ensure that the judiciary can operate free from external pressures, threats or any interference,” she added.

In the Special Rapporteur’s view, according to the news release from the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the procedure for the removal of judges of Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court, set out in article 107 of the country’s constitution, allows the Parliament to exercise considerable control over the judiciary – and is therefore incompatible with both the principle of separation of power and article 14 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

The UN expert urged Sri Lankan lawmakers to modify the country’s constitution in order to render it compliant to international human rights law and prevent the future political persecution of independent judges.

“To be compatible with both the principle of separation of powers and international human rights law norms, disciplinary proceedings against judges should be conducted by independent commissions and guarantee full respect for due process and fair trial,” Ms. Knaul concluded.

Independent experts, or special rapporteurs like Ms. Knaul, are appointed by the Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council to examine and report back, in an unpaid capacity, on specific human rights themes.

Posted by Thavam

Puzzling outcome of ‘missing’ doctor caring Tamil women under SL military

[TamilNet, Monday, 31 December 2012, 20:46 GMT]
The fate of a Tamil doctor, E. Sivashankar, who voiced for the rights of Tamil women forcefully recruited and held against their will by the SL military, is not known after he was ‘arrested’ following a dispute with the occupying military at Kokkaavil in Vanni on Saturday, according to the family members and relatives. Informed sources in Ki’linochchi told TamilNet that the SL military operatives who have taken the Medical Officer attached to Anuradhapura Blood Bank, used a psychiatrist in Vanni to issue a false report that the ‘detained’ doctor was mentally ill. In the meantime, the wife of the missing doctor, J Thirumagal Sivashankar, who is also a medical officer, went in search of her husband to Maangku’lam Police station was told by the SL police that they had no information on the whereabouts of her husband.

The 52-year-old doctor, also known as Raj Sivashankar, was earlier in charge of the blood bank at the Jaffna Teaching Hospital. He was actively involved in sustaining public awareness on blood donation during the challenging times in the past.

Sivashankar, who had earned the ire of the colonial governor of North, Maj Gen (retd) G A Chandrasiri, was transferred from Jaffna Teaching Hospital and posted to Anuradhapura hospital.

The SL military governor interfering into the civil affairs was opposing Dr Sivashankar writing articles in the local press.

The medical officer was also working with international humanitarian agencies to improve the services of the blood bank at the hospital. He was also extending his support to the civil society initiatives in the peninsula.

Following his transfer to Anuradhapura hospital, he was staying in Anuradhapura town.

Recently, he was tasked to medically assist the Tamil women, who were forcefully recruited by the SL military.

As part of his medical assistance, he was also documenting the mental and health status of the girls.

On Saturday, when the SL military did not allow one of the girls who decided to go home after sitting for the GCE O/L exam, the doctor defended the girl. The Sinhala military officers who stopped the girl from returning home assaulted the doctor when the doctor argued on behalf of the girl.

Following this dispute, the SL military allegedly ‘arrested’ the doctor, and his whereabouts are not known.

A psychiatrist who has been recently collaborating with the occupying SL military, was allegedly used by the military to ‘diagnose’ the doctor as having ‘mental illness’.

Informed sources further said that the SL military, after inspecting the laptop of the doctor, was attempting to hand him over to the notorious ‘Terrorist’ Investigation Department (TID).

During middle part of December, 21 of around 100 Tamil girls, conscripted for the SL military, were admitted to Ki’linochchi hospital in a mentally affected state.

The girls have now been transferred from Paarathipuram to Maangku’lam and are not allowed by the SL military to talk to their parents through cell phones. They are only allowed to talk to their parents through monitored phone booths at the camp, informed sources in Ki’linochchi told TamilNet.

1000 former rebels conscientiously monitored. Jaffna Commanding Chief states

Monday , 31 December 2012

One thousand former rebels sneaked without acquiring rehabilitation by secreting their involvement with the liberation tiger movement, is now observed intently by the intelligence unit of the forces.

Such persons are now involved in many crime activities happening in the north which is aware.

Jaffna District Commanding Chief General Hathurusinghe has mentioned this was a news item published in the  Ceylon Today” English website.

Concerning the recent arrest the website in its news story quoted   the clarification given by Jaffna District Military Commander.

The information in the website quotes that Hathurusinghe has said, after acquiring vocational training and undergoing rehabilitations, they were joined to the society. But some have concealed their involvement with the Liberation tiger movement and sneaked without undergoing rehabilitation. Those escaped from the forces mingled with the civilians and have sought shelter in   public welfare centers.

Such persons who have sneaked are now involved in many crime activities occurring in the north, hence their activities are carefully observed by the intelligence personnel from the forces and Terrorism Prevention Police.

On this basis, 48 former members from the liberation tiger movement were arrested by Terrorism Prevention police on suspicion of having links with many crime activities occurring currently.

Former rebels who are undergoing interrogation presently will be shortly sent to rehabilitation camps.

Meanwhile still 1000 former rebels in the north are conscientiously observed by the intelligence personnel from  the forces and Terrorism Prevention Police was the information given by Hathurusinghe, was quoted in  the news item  published in the “Ceylon Today”. 

Michelle Obama Asked to Help Tamil Women in Northeastern Sri Lanka

Sunday, December 30, 2012

The Singhalese-dominated government of Sri Lanka has been engaged in a “structural genocide” of the Tamils ever since the British left in 1948, says Tamils for Obama. The sexual oppression of Tamil women in the northeast is the latest part of this genocide, and Tamils for Obama asks Mrs. Obama to use her influence to take action to stop it.

New York, New York (PRWEB) December 30, 2012

“The Sri Lankan government has been running a structural genocide of the Tamils ever since the British left in 1948,” said a press spokesman for Tamils for Obama. “The sexual violence against Tamil women in northeastern Sri Lanka is just the latest form it has taken.

“We sent Mrs. Obama a letter asking her to give the world a push, and see if there is a way to stop this persecution of the Tamils, and especially of the poor and powerless Tamil women in the northeast.”

The request was made in a letter sent to Mrs. Obama last weekend.

“We said ‘Tamil women are suffering in northeastern Sri Lanka. There are over 90,000 Tamil widows (and 50,000 orphans) living in this area,’” the spokesman went on. “These widows have no money to live on. They do not have any food to eat, or any hope of making their lives any better. They are frantic, and to survive and provide for themselves and their children, they will do almost anything.

“The Sri Lankan army knows this,” said the spokesman. “They exploit these desperate Tamil women. The soldiers offer food in exchange for sex, and then they may hold on to the food anyway. It is a way of demeaning and humiliating the Tamils.”

In their letter, Tamils for Obama explained that “This is the latest string of events in a process that began in 1948, when the British empire left Ceylon. The Singhalese majority took over the government, and used their control to oppress their ancient, resented enemies on the island, the Tamils. There were government-inspired and government-led anti-Tamil riots in 1956, 58, 77, 81 and 83. The civil war, probably inevitable by then, followed the 1983 riots.

“We then told Mrs. Obama that ‘The war ended in 2009, when the Singhalese army massacred an unknown number of Tamil civilians (the UN now says 80,000). UK Channel 4 reported that thousands of young Tamil women (nobody knows how many) were captured during and after the fighting or removed from displaced persons camps. According to channel 4, these young women were raped and then murdered.’

“The widows are in a terrible situation,” the spokesman said. “We told Mrs. Obama in our letter that ‘When the Tamil women go to the authority (which means the army) to ask what has happened to their men they place themselves in the role of supplicant, and the soldiers demand payment in sex. The soldiers roam Tamil villages and rape women at will. Staying at home offers the widows no protection, as the soldiers enter and leave the houses whenever they wish. It is no surprise that many of these women are losing their minds.’

“Those Sri Lankan soldiers are animals, or so we think,” said the spokesman. “Here is what we wrote to Mrs. Obama: ‘Along with the subjugation of the powerless and penniless Tamil women of northeastern Sri Lanka, as Tamil MPs reported to UNHCR in March 2012, the Sri Lankan army has snatched many Tamil women and used them as “comfort women” in army brothels.

“The Sri Lankan military makes a habit of this,” the spokesman observed. “We mentioned that the Sri Lankan troops in the UN peacekeeping force in Haiti were accused of multiple sex crimes against children and sent home, according to a UN News Centre report of November 2, 2007.

“Then we quoted Secretary of State Clinton, who said, at the UN , ’We’ve seen rape used as a tactic of war before in Bosnia, Burma and Sri Lanka and elsewhere.’ The Tamils for Obama spokesman added ‘We think that the abuse of Tamil women in northeastern Sri Lanka is not just a tactic of war, but is part of what we consider the structural genocide practiced by Sri Lanka against the Tamil culture.”

The letter ends “We hope you will be as appalled by this as we are, and use your influence to get the US and the world to take action to stop it.”

To see the letter, Click Here.

Tamils for Obama is a politically active group of Tamil Americans. We supported Hillary Clinton and then Barack Obama in the Democratic primary and US general election in 2008. We believe that over 70,000 Tamil civilians were massacred during the last weeks of the Sri Lankan civil war. We have watched the behavior of the Sri Lankan Singhalese victors after the war, and we strongly conclude that Tamils in Sri Lanka will only be safe when this unfortunate island is divided into two states.

To contact the group, call at (617) 765-4394 and speak to, or leave a message for, the Communication Director, Tamils for Obama.

http://www.TamilsForObama.com
Email: info(at)TamilsforObama(dot)com

For the original version on PRWeb visit: http://www.prweb.com/releases/prweb2012/12/prweb10279848.htm

Read more: http://www.timesunion.com/business/press-releases/article/Michelle-Obama-Asked-to-Help-Tamil-Women-in-4155563.php#ixzz2GhVqepU8

Malaysian Tamil declaration upholds Eezham Tamil sovereignty

[Photo courtesy: Thinakkural, Malaysia]

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 01 January 2013, 00:14 GMT]
The World Tamilar Protection Conference (WTPC) in its second session conducted in Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia on Friday, declared that it recognises the need to understand the question of Eezham Tamils in terms of their claim for Historical Sovereignty, Earned Sovereignty and Remedial Sovereignty in their territory. The declaration said that the nation of Eezham Tamils having sovereignty and the right to self-determination in their traditional homeland in the island of Sri Lanka had been subjected to genocide over 60 years by the Sinhala nation. Convened jointly by the President of Puthiya Thamizhakam Party in Tamil Nadu Dr K. Krishnasamy and the Deputy Chief Minister of Penang State in Malaysia Prof P Ramasamy, the conference was addressed by Malaysia’s Leader of the Opposition Mr Anwar Ibrahim. 

The massacre of tens of thousands of Eezham Tamils, rapes and other abuses were not an internal affair; it is a human rights matter of international concern, but the International Community failed in its duties, Anwar Ibrahim said.
The culprits of the genocide need to be brought to justice through an independent international investigation, he said.
Assuring positive commitment of his party in countering the genocide of Eezham Tamils, Anwar said that it is not an election stunt, reported Semparuthi a Malaysian Tamil grassroot media.
There should be efforts to disseminate information on the human rights plight of Eezham Tamils to the Malay people in the country, Anwar further said.
More than 60 delegates across the world have come for the conference, which was participated and supported by over 2000 activists coming mainly from the grassroot Tamil organisations in Malaysia.
Five TNA parliamentarians, representatives of the TGTE as well as TGTE (Democrats), representatives of BTF, GTF and World Tamil Federation were among the participants, besides local Tamil politicians from the centre and states of Malaysia. Thirumurugan Gandhi of the May 17 Movement from Tamil Nadu was one of the participants. Sections that were advocating for the change of Ceylonese / Jaffanese identity in Malaysia into ‘Sri Lankan’ identity were not seen at the conference.

The conference urged withdrawal of all occupying SL military and other forces from the land of Eezham Tamils and also urged the handing back of territory to them.
Calling for stern action on Sri Lanka that has not taken even minimum action on the UN resolution last year, and urging the world countries to evoke the principles of R2P to protect Eezham Tamils in their land, the conference declared in favour of conducting a referendum among Eezham Tamils in the North and East of the island and in the diaspora, in reference to their right to self-determination.
Condemning Sri Lanka government’s oppressive acts on Jaffna University students, the conference urged the release of all students under detention.
Today, the Central Government in India that earlier supported the Palestinian cause and took a progressive stand against apartheid in South Africa, is isolated from 100 million Tamils, because of its complicity in Sri Lanka’s acts aiming at annihilation of Eezham Tamils. At least in the next UNHRC session in March the Indian government should call for independent investigation against Sri Lanka, the Malaysian conference declared.
While appreciating the neutral stand taken by Malaysia at the UNHRC session last year, the conference declaration urged the Malaysian government to proactively support an independent UN investigation against Sri Lanka in the forthcoming session in March.
Referring to the London conference in November convened by the BTF, the Malaysian declaration said that there would be efforts to translate the London conference decisions into a mass movement struggle between January and March.

• World Tamilar Protection Conference, Malaysia 2012, Resolutions

The conference decided to form a high-level committee under Dr. Krishnasamy to take up the case of Eezham Tamils with world peoples and governments. The conference also decided to establish a permanent centre in Tamil Nadu for the coordination and protection of global Tamils.
The conference urged the Indian Central Government to re-demarcate the boundaries of Tamil Nadu to resolve the chronic issue related to the river waters of Kaaviri, Paalaa’ru and Mullaip-periyaa’ru.
Identifying caste and communal issues as stumbling blocks for the mobilisation of Tamils and polarisation of Tamil identity based on language, the conference declaration called upon Tamils to denounce polity and politicians of caste opportunism.
Tamils, when asked to identify themselves in places such as schools, should enter the term Tamil in filling columns such as caste, ethnicity and religion, the conference declaration further said.
A section of the delegates at the conference, discussing the resolutions to be adopted at the conference
Caste wars are unleashed in an alarming way in Tamil Nadu in recent times, making political observers in Tamil Nadu to suspect larger forces of engineering at work.
Writing in December, a Harvard researcher and a US Naval War College professor were of the opinion that Tamils living in India, motivated by continuing animosities over Sri Lankan Tamil rights, are complicating New Delhi’s policies towards Colombo.
The US writers were concerned that this would prevent India from competing with China in wooing Sri Lanka.
“Hence the domestic political complications imposed on New Delhi by the Tamil Nadu political faction is heightening the likelihood that Chinese warships will be visiting or based in southern Sri Lanka in the near future, “ the US writers were aiming at influencing opinion in India in favour of what is actually the US interest.
In the ruling echelons of the Indian Establishment, it is very difficult to say where India ends and where the USA begins, and some Indian intelligence circles share the opinion of the US writers, informed sources say. If so, engineering Tamil Nadu in whatever way possible will be their utmost priority.
Tamil polity, looking upon New Delhi and Washington like a dog looking at the face of its master even after ill treatment is not going to work, commented a political observer who went for the Malaysia conference.
A particular shade of Tamil activists from Tamil Nadu and diaspora were seen in large numbers at the Malaysian conference, observers said.
The local Malaysian grassroot activists who participated the conference with enthusiasm and supported it in many ways were found with full of genuine feeling for the cause. It is the same in the grassroot of Tamil Nadu and elsewhere. Such a mass preparedness has to be carefully guarded against hijack was the concern of some silent observers at the conference.

A stable solution to Tamil crisis. Rajitha says, for 13, revival in 13.

Tuesday , 01 January 2013

In the dawn of year 2013, according to the 13th amendment, concerning the Tamil people’s racial crisis, a permanent settlement will be met on the leadership of President Mahinda Rajapakse.

Towards this we are taking constructive measures, was said by Dr.Rajitha Senaratne Minister for Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development

According to the recommendations made by the joint agreement signed by President Mahinda Rajapakse and United Nation Secretary General Ban Ki Moon in year 2009, and due to the pressure from India, America including international sector, discussions were held between the government and Tamil National Alliance.

On this basis, the initial stage of discussions held between the two sectors, on behalf of the Government Ministers Nimal Sripala De Silva, G.L.Peiris, Ratnasiri Wickramanayake and Sajin De Vaas Gunawardena MP participated.

On behalf of Tamil Alliance, its leader Sambanthan, Sumenthiran, Mawai Senathiraja, Suresh Piremachandran parliament members, and President’s lawyer Kanaga Eswaran attended.

After the two sector discussions, government requested the Tamil National Alliance to provide an interim settlement plan. Accordingly, Tamil National Alliance submitted to the government their settlement plan.

Interim settlement plan of the Tamil Alliance resembles the tigers policy was reasoned out by the government and rejected the proposal submitted by the Tamil Alliance.

Further government refused to give a written guarantee requested by the Alliance concerning to the interim report.

During the two sector discussion, Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayake showed his disappointment regarding the activities of Tamil Alliance and resigned from the government sector discussion committee.

In this state, due to the pressure from India, America including international countries, President Mahinda Rajapakse in a friendly manner invited Tamil National Alliance Leader Sambanthan to resume talks concerning the racial crisis which has got disturbed.

At this atmosphere Government proposed about parliament selective committee for the settlement to the racial crisis.

It invited Tamil National Alliance to participate.  It said, if their participation is necessary, both sectors should have a compromise concerning the settlement to the racial crisis.

The settlement which is met by compromised discussions, the selective committee should be the place to scrutinize the decision, is their stance in regard to selective committee was stated to the government.

Government did not give a positive answer. Meanwhile government very arrogantly said, initially the Alliance should partake in the selective committee, and through discussions compatibility could be met. However both sectors were very strong in their stance in regard to selective committee.  

At this situation, India, America including international countries is continuously urging concerning a settlement to the racial crisis, and towards this, government and the Tamil Alliance should work with commitment and activities should be expedited.

Some ministers from the ruling sector raised their opinions that the 13th amendment should be abolished, but some senior Ministers from the ruling sector including opposition party members were strongly discontented about these statements.

The international sector too showed its dissatisfaction about the statements of abolishing the 13th amendment.

Minister Rajitha Senartne was queried, three years have gone after the end of war, and whether a settlement would be given to the Tamil peoples racial crisis in the dawn of the New Year, in reply he said, according to the 13th amendment to the constitution, we are taking all the necessary measures to find a stable settlement to the Tamil peoples racial crisis.

Year 2013 will be the finest year. We will overcome all the foreign elements which are obstacles in providing a stable settlement to the Tamil people’s racial crisis and through the government headed by President Mahinda Rajapakse a settlement will be met.

We are with much commitment functioning, forgetting race and religious differences towards this. Tamil people will live peacefully and freely in a society which has been provided with all powers according to 13th amendment which is our expectation was said by Minister Rajitha.

Another conspiracy of Basil exposed :plot to create an unruly uproar at court premises on 3rd Jan.

(Lanka-e-News -31.Dec.2012, 11.30PM) Basil Rajapakse had today hatched a conspiracy with some group to create an unruly and unlawfully stormy scene after getting down crowds to the court premises in order to obstruct court activities by claiming courts have no powers, on the 3rd of January 2013 , the day on which the case filed by the chief justice (CJ) in the appeal court is to be taken for trial. Since this is a court vacation day , taking advantage of the absence of lawyers and crowds at the courts , this uproarious protests are to be sparked .

The discussions pertaining to this conspiracy were held under the leadership of Basil Rajapakse with the participation of Willy Gamage , Rajitha Senaratne, the University Grants Commission secretary Samaranayake , a Secretary of Rajitha Seneviratne, a group of the Taxi Association and Thilanga Sumathipala . After this discussion this noon , with a view to executing the conspiratorial plan on the proposed date , telephone calls were being given from the Presidential secretariat by Willy Gamage and a group.

It will not be out of place if we reveal that because Lanka e news exposed another conspiracy hatched previously by Basil Rajapakse at his Ministry of Economic development , that had to be abandoned by the conspirators. At those discussions, this Econo- comic Minister of the murderous MaRa regime had thundered with venom and vengeance that the CJ shall be killed.

6:36PM  |   URL: http://tmbl

A New Year Prediction: Parliamentary Elections Just Around The Corner?

By A Political Soothsayer -January 1, 2013 

Under normal course of events, as anticipated earlier, what in store for Sri Lanka in 2013 were the promised elections for the Northern Provincial Council (NPC) in September and the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHGOM) in November. Until then the country was supposed to lumber on grudgingly though as usual, perhaps making some headway here and debacle there, as it always did, amusing the disparaging critics home and the international community abroad. Not even a major cricket event was supposed to take place in this resplendent island, to take the excess heat out of the masses, irrespective of the ICC women’s cricket tournament taking place in many other countries in June.

Of course the government was scheduled to face the next music in March at the UN Human Rights Commission (UNHRC) in Geneva and even that was not considered to be of catastrophic proportions if not for the current blundering in the impeachment effort or the unwarranted harassment of the university students at the Jaffna Campus. Anyway, the government media or even the Ministers were always ready to say completely the opposite of what would happen in Geneva as if the Sri Lankan masses are like the ‘old school Chinese’ (konde bandapu cheennu). No insult to China or the Chinese is intended. Remember, the Professor was saying last time that Sri Lanka just lost the vote only by one, conveniently counting those who abstained from voting to our side! By that magic, 15 became 23.

Our politicians in power and their cohorts however are extremely an erratic lot. They are not easily predictable and if they don’t have an enemy to fight against then they would create one. They love to indulge in ‘shadow boxing’ against imperialism and see foreign agents in every nook and corner. What they most cherish is unleashing their thugs, official and unofficial, against their enemies particularly during election times. Even they are capable of biting noses or ears of the enemy. Unfortunately after the conclusion of the three provincial council elections in September 2012 for Sabaragamuwa, North Central and the Eastern, there was no exciting event that they could get involved in. There was no entertainment for the spectators either. The official TV shows on ITN and Repuavahini were getting extremely boring. Their voices were running ‘hoarse’ strangely this time for not being used against their enemies. Their paid trishaw thugs were not used for a long time and they were complaining being out of extra cash.

Finally finally they have found an enemy to fix all of these; this time around quite an extraordinary woman. Perhaps they thought it would be an easy prey judging from their own experiences at home or in their electorates. But she was the Chief Justice. She was just appointed for the big position by the big boss. Never mind she has proved to be ‘too big for the shoes’ given by the boss. She was not just a CJ but an internationally recognized academic in the field of law. The modus operandi of the struggle against the new enemy was the much maligned Impeachment in the Sri Lankan context. No previous effort on Impeachment had been successful after three attempts. They hardly understood what it involved but they had advisors from the same profession including the previous CJ and the previous previous one, reputed for Kekille judgements, giving unofficial advice on the sidelines.

The single enemy soon became the whole of the judiciary and all the ‘black coats’ also rallied round her for one or the other reason, reputed for their Hultsdorf mentality. All international conspirators, from the International Bar Association to the UN Special Rapporteur on Independence of the Judges and the Lawyers came in support of her. The Canadian Prime Minister, quite an imperialist one supporting the terrorists, threatened to boycott the scheduled CHOGM in November if the Impeachment against the CJ goes ahead. But the US and India were quite silent perhaps because the Rajapaksas are the buddies of the awaken giant of China.

They decided to conduct the Impeachment in the Gang-nam style and framed quite a long list of 14 charges believing more the charges are more the possibility of proving them. They appointed carefully selected seven known rogues (two buffoons included) to the Impeachment Court named respectfully as a Parliamentary Select Committee, all according to their own constitution but not the country’s one. All objections from the Judiciary or the lawyers of the CJ or the opposition members of the PSC were summarily dismissed. Within few days they were however got exhausted. ‘Why would we investigate all the charges, three would be good enough,’ they thought. Some of the journalists who sing weekly hosannas to the regime thought some ‘unproven charges’ are more profound than the ‘proven once’ for the necessary character assassination. In the meanwhile, the CJ, the lawyers and the opposition members left the proceedings quite unable to stomach the ‘parliamentary language’ of two of the buffoons in the kangaroo courts. With this happening, they were suddenly elated of the prospects of proving the charges in absentia and called open even some witnesses to the Diyawanna Wallawa where the proceedings were taking place. They had a marathon session in that Friday evening, quite a Guinness record, and produced their report on the following morning. They said that they investigated five charges and three were proved without objection.

Lo and behold! In the meanwhile, the cunning lady has applied for a Writ of Certiorari at the Court of Appeal. Then the big boss said his conscience was pricked and announced that he would appoint ‘another independent committee’ to review the report of the PSC before taking a final decision on the Impeachment. But later he unceremoniously retracted the pronouncement, as usual, in his style of dubious governance. Then some of the court jesters said that the CJ has appointed her own bench to hear her appeal without knowing the difference between the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal. Perhaps it is more likely that they thought the people in the country would not know the difference.

To make the long story short, the first surprise in the New Year of 2013 would be the ruling of the Court of Appeal on the Impeachment proceedings against the country’s Chief Justice. As a bigwig on legal matters of yesteryears, Dr Nihal Jayawickrama, has said, “If the Court were to quash the findings of the Select Committee, that would be a binding and authoritative judgment on the matter.” If the Parliament or the President were to ignore the court ruling and proceed with removing the Chief Justice it would create a very serious constitutional crisis with considerable international implications. This is at the brink of the UNHRC sessions in Geneva in March.

In that even it is most likely, according to my reading of the political Oracle, the President will dissolve Parliament and go for premature Parliamentary elections in the near future however after removing the Chief Justice.

Weerasankkili is falsehood personified yet his protruding tongue unable to hide the truth

(Lanka-e-News -31.Dec.2012, 11.30PM) 

Weerasankkili Panikiyalage Wimalasena alias Wimal Weerawansa , the notorious open mouthed idiot of a liar from whose spittoon of a mouth never a truth emerges had for once spoken a truth. He stated that there exists a conflict between the Govt . and the judiciary , and it is America that is the primary cause for it. This 8th grade qualified Mongol Minister had told this at a function in Padukka yesterday . This is of course a truth. 

It s a paramilitary murder group of the regime operating under Gotabaya Rajapakse that was responsible for the attack launched at Galkissa on the judge who is the Secretary of the judicial service Commission (JSC) , which marked the beginning of this conflict ; and this Gotabaya Rajapakse is an American citizen. 

The impeachment motion brought against the CJ was to accomplish Basil’s vindictive agenda because the court did not allow this 10% commission econo- comic Minister to illicitly and singly gobble up Rs. 50000 million ! of the Samurdhi funds. It is Basil Rajapakse again who is in the vanguard of organizing protests and demonstrations by fetching hooligans and thugs to obstruct court proceedings and disgrace the courts. This Rajapakse (Basil) too is an American citizen.

It is Dallas Alahaperuma who prepared the stage for the impeachment motion drama on behalf of the Govt. This Minister too is an American citizen. In the circumstances , though this Mongol Weerasankkili Pannikyage is falsehood personified and his mouth never speaks a truth , yet his protruding tongue had been unable to hide the truth .. 

It is almost certain that in the not too distant future when there is the inevitable people’ suprising, it is this Mongol hypocritical Weerawansa alias Modawansa who will be among the first to be murdered for treason. We however hope that won’t happen.

Impeachment Saga: Who Should Run The Nation?

By Vishvamithra -January 1, 2013 

Chief Justice

By destroying the public’s confidence, with a deceitful impeachment motion against the CJ launched for political reasons, the present regime has further demonstrated its true character; the creation of a free-for-all, everyone-for-himself economy—an economy in which the rich, powerful and organized can take advantage of the poor, unorganized and uneducated.

The need of the hour of the learned people is to discredit the government ethically and philosophically for all the anti-social wrongdoings being committed by it against its own people belongs all ethnic origins.

Who responsible for creating this anarchistic society? The midlevel figures, some of the thousands of ordinary people – all so-called professionals, state officials and so many others who helped create this crisis, often by calculating their own self-interest first. Their tales suggest that, while some of those caught up in the event were crooked or incompetent, many more were people who simply took a narrow view of their responsibilities in return for ill-gotten wealth.

Probably no one has ever witnessed anything like the collapse of morality and ethics in governance in this magnitude.  The virus of crony capitalism seems to have infected with the all organs of government and the conduct of the former CJ Sarath Silva vividly demonstrates that not only the values of the executive and the legislature have diminished but noble standards enshrined by the judiciary too.

No one seems to know from where the clean up operations should commence.  Lets hope that that at least now the government would understand the greater damage it inflicts to the image of the mother Lanka and restrain from causing any further damage and respect and honour the rule of law.

In the presence of absolutely incapable opposition, the excessive and unjust enrichment, incompetence and dishonesty of top politicians and their cronies can only be dealt with through a independent, forthright judiciary committed to uphold the role of the watchdog for the people and not through a judiciary consisting of timid and submissive judges who would only serve the corrupt Executive and its cronies. If there is any wrongdoing committed by any member of Apex Court, people do not condone such characters by any means, yet they naturally demand their removal only after due process of law that guarantee fair hearing free from any undue arbitrary decision-making by the executive.

THE FRIDAY FORUM COMMENTS ON THE NATIONAL PLAN OF ACTION : Need to IMPLEMENT LLRC

By Jayantha Dhanapala  and Manouri Muttetuwegama on behalf of Friday Forum, the Group of Concerned Citizens

Over the last two years, the Friday Forum has been engaged with the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) by making submissions to it, commenting on its progress, following up on its interim recommendations and welcoming and making our observations on its final report. In that spirit, and particularly given the openings for reconciliation created by the LLRC Report, the Friday Forum would like to offer constructive criticisms regarding the recently announced National Action Plan to Implement the Recommendations of the LLRC to contribute towards public engagement with the State on meaningful reconciliation.

We focus firstly on whether the Action Plan with a selected few priority issues captures the spirit of the LLRC Report which takes a systemic view of post-war reconciliation. The Action Plan consists of 82 points of actions following some of the chapter headings of the LLRC Report as follows:

• Restitution and Compensatory Relief
• Human Rights
• International Humanitarian Law Issues
• Land Return and Resettlement
• Reconciliation

 While the above categories are important, the Friday Forum believes that both the spirit of the LLRC Report and a salutary response by the State should consider the following priorities with respect to post-war reconciliation and sustainable peace:

• Accountability for past abuses
• Land issues
• Demilitarization
• Governance, Rule of Law, Development and Reconstruction
• Focused political dialogue on devolution
• Ongoing Human Rights concerns and remaining Humanitarian issues
• Role of Civil Society in reconciliation

" While the military continues to have a role in demining and other post-conflict activities, the Action Plan does not recognise that the military lacks independence, nor does it recognise the conflict of interest involved, when it is asked to investigate itself. There needs to be a clear vision of civilian control of the military and its conduct. "

 It is now over three and a half years since the end of the war and any further time lost in implementing policies towards reconciliation would contribute towards squandering the great opportunity for national unity, tolerance and pluralism that came with the end of the war. In this context, we are concerned about the length of time for implementation, where many action items are claimed to require twenty four months or more for implementation while others are consigned to a proposed Parliamentary Select Committee whose time frame and prospects for consensus are vague. There is an urgency, particularly with respect to ongoing human rights abuses, as it can undermine the sense of security and end to violence that was supposed to have dawned in the post-war era.The LLRC Report meticulously addressed the grave issue of unlawful arrest and detentions:

 “The Commission heard a number of allegations concerning persons taken into custody without any official record. The Commission therefore recommends that applicable legal provisions should be adhered to by the law enforcement authorities when taking persons into their custody, such as the issue of a formal receipt regarding the arrest and providing details of the place of detention etc. Such persons should be detained only at formal places of detention declared under the law. Adequate publicity should be given to such authorized places of detention, with access to next of kin.” (LLRC Report Recommendation 9.53)

 However, the LLRC Action Plan has glossed over such concerns central to addressing the importance and urgency of human right abuses. There is no mention of the specific recommendations for a Special Commissioner on Disappearances or the deadline for the disarming of illegal armed groups both of which are vital to the sense of security of the people.

 The spirit of the LLRC Report of addressing systemic concerns of governance and historical grievances is lost in the selective interpretations of recommendations, piece-meal actions and some-what defensive posture of a state-centred implementation program. The overall framing of the Action Plan does not see a major role for civil society, nor are the state processes seen to be enabling civil society, which were important features of the LLRC Report. Furthermore, the implementation of LLRC Recommendations is an opportunity to engage international organisations by soliciting their support after many years of a confrontational approach. That emphasis in the LLRC Report is also lost in the Action Plan. For example, on the issue of disappearances, the LLRC Report stated:

“All efforts should be made by the law enforcement authorities, in cooperation with relevant agencies, especially the ICRC, to trace the whereabouts of the missing persons and ensure reunification with their families. The families should be kept informed of the progress being made in that regard.” (LLRC Report Recommendation 9.50)

However, in the LLRC Action Plan there is no mention of the ICRC – an organization whose expertise and discretion in this field is well-known. The assistance of international organizations and civil society is especially important in tackling the multi-faceted needs of the families of the missing and the other war-affected people, including not only meaningful action to ascertain  the fate of missing persons, but also the provision of livelihood support and of comprehensive health facilities embracing medical, nutritional and psychological elements.

Next, governance, rule of law and militarization are not recognised as central and systemic issues that have to be addressed. The LLRC Report was forthright on the role of the military:

“It is important that the Northern Province reverts to civilian administration in matters relating to the day-to-day life of the people, and in particular with regard to matters pertaining to economic activities such as agriculture, fisheries, land etc. The military presence must progressively recede to the background to enable the people to return to normal civilian life and enjoy the benefits of peace.” (LLRC Report Recommendation 9.227)While the military continues to have a role in demining and other post-conflict activities, the Action Plan does not recognise that the military lacks independence, nor does it recognise the conflict of interest involved, when it is asked to investigate itself. There needs to be a clear vision of civilian control of the military and its conduct. Related is the lack of attention given to the importance of independent bodies, whether it be independent mechanisms or commissions, particularly the Police Commission and Human Rights Commission, which relate to the Friday Forum’s earlier positions on the undemocratic character of the 18th Amendment. The need for language and communication training, including through modern Information Communications Technology, of military and police personnel and state officials is a priority in the announced policy of trilingualism of the Government. Likewise recommendations for the people of so-called “border villages”, the need for a Right to Information Act and Recommendation 9.285 to hold a special event expressing empathy with all the victims of the conflict need to be addressed.

" Its contents and substance does not convince us that the Government is serious about substantial implementation of the LLRC’s recommendations which will rectify the lapses of the past and promote justice and dignity for the victims of war and the minorities leading to reconciliation and national integration "

 Finally, the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC), in particular, is claimed as the process to address many of the recommendations. The LLRC Report has the following to say about judicial review:“The Commission notes the representations made regarding the absence of constitutional provisions for judicial review of legislation. There should be adequate legal provisions for the members of public and other organizations to effectively canvass before the Supreme Court the constitutionality of any proposed legislation.

The time frame provided in the Constitution for canvassing constitutionality of proposed legislation before the Supreme Court, in particular of urgent bills, is grossly inadequate. The Supreme Court is called upon to make a determination in respect of urgent bills within a period of 24 hours or on a date not later than three days as specified by His Excellency the President (Article 122(1) of the Constitution).

Public intervention regarding proposed legislation is an integral part of a vibrant democracy. Therefore, the Commission recommends, that the Government and the Opposition make all endeavours to reach a consensus on an appropriate constitutional amendment, to provide for an adequate timeframe to challenge proposed legislation.” (LLRC Report Recommendation 9.228) 

 It is not clear why such a constitutional amendment on judicial review has to await the PSC as per the Action Plan. Government officials claim the PSC will address a political settlement to the ethnic conflict. Indeed, many of the recommendations attributed to the PSC that is yet to begin its work could in fact be addressed by existing state bodies and other legislations. For example the LLRC Report called for delinking of the police from the military:The Police Department is a civilian institution which is entrusted with the maintenance of law and order. Therefore, it is desirable that the Police Department be de-linked from the institutions dealing with the armed forces which are responsible for the security of the State. (LLRC Report Recommendation 9.214)
However, the Action Plan claims this will be addressed by the PSC. Furthermore, as opposed to the LLRC Report which is clear on the role for a body such as the PSC, that a political settlement should be “based on a proposal containing the Government’s own thinking on the form and content of the dialogue process envisaged” (LLRC Report Recommendation 9.237), the vision for the PSC in the Action Plan is not clear. Therefore, the PSC could further delay many of the recommendations or, worse, become regressive on the issue of devolution which the LLRC Report advocated.
 We have made our observations on the Action Plan in a spirit of democratic engagement.

Its contents and substance does not convince us that the Government is serious about substantial implementation of the LLRC’s recommendations which will rectify the lapses of the past and promote justice and dignity for the victims of war and the minorities leading to reconciliation and national integration. If this attitude continues any longer both Sri Lankans and the world will be justified in interpreting the stance of the Government as a deliberate and totally unacceptable act of resistance to justice and reconciliation for its own citizens.

The Friday Forum is a group of citizens committed to the advancement of democracy, social justice and pluralism in Sri Lanka.  The Forum has regularly issued public statements on issues of common concern in the spirit of democratic engagement with a view to stimulating public debate and encouraging action from state authorities and other relevant parties.

Members of the Friday Forum are Jayantha Dhanapala, Ms. Manouri Muttetuwegama, Rt. Rev. Duleep de Chickera, Dr. Jayampathy   Wickramaratne, Danesh Casie Chetty, Ahilan Kadirgamar,  Dr. A.C.Visvalingam, Dr. Selvy Thiruchandran, J. C. Weliamuna, Mr. Faiz-ur Rahman, Dr. U. Pethiyagoda, Professor Ranjini Obeyesekere, Professor Savitri Goonesekere, Lanka Nesiah, Professor Arjuna Aluwihare, Dr. Devanesan  Nesiah, Ms. Anne Abayasekara, Tissa Jayatilaka, Rev. Dr. Jayasiri Peiris, Javid Usuf, Ms. Sithie Tiruchelvam, Dr. Deepika Udagama, Ms. Suriya Wickremasinghe, Dr. Camena Guneratne, Ms. Radhika Coomaraswamy, D Wijayanandana, Ms. Damaris Wickremesekera and Chandra Jayaratne